Excitable dynamical systems

摘要

Excitability, i.e. a large-amplitude response to a super-threshold perturbation while a sub-threshold perturbation leaves the system almost unchanged, is the key property of neural cells of the retina of human eye. Basic terms are introduced and the dynamical behavior under single-pulse and under periodic perturbation is discussed in detail using the firing ratio as a function of the perturbation amplitude and of the perturbation period forming a "devil staircase" structure.